GUIDE

Free & Cheap Date Ideas in NYC

Date ideas that cost little or nothing

Free and cheap date ideas in NYC: gallery nights, free concerts, walking tours, tastings and markets worth wandering. Pair any of these with a walk and you’ve got a night out. For paid ideas, see Date night.

281 verified listings right now. Updated automatically.

Happening now
SUN, NOV 1 · 9 AM–2 PM
56°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Bayside Historical Society (in Fort Totten Park), Queens · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Experience Civil War Living History at Fort Totten

📍 Bayside Historical Society (in Fort Totten Park) · Fort Totten Park, Queens
Free (NYC Parks event) · registration may be required
Happening now
SUN, NOV 1 · 11 AM–12 PM
56°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Vermont Place Parking Lot (in Highland Park), Queens · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Native American Heritage Month: Lenape Botany

📍 Vermont Place Parking Lot (in Highland Park) · Highland Park, Queens
Free (NYC Parks event)
Happening now
SUN, NOV 1 · 11 AM–12 PM
56°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Crotona Nature Center (in Crotona Park), Bronx · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Painting & crafts

Nature's Workshop: Fall Foliage Leaf Art

📍 Crotona Nature Center (in Crotona Park) · Crotona Park, Bronx
Free (NYC Parks event)
Happening now
SUN, NOV 1 · 11 AM–1 PM
56°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Fort Totten Park Visitors Center (in Fort Totten Park), Queens · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Historic New York: Fort Totten

📍 Fort Totten Park Visitors Center (in Fort Totten Park) · Fort Totten Park, Queens
Free (NYC Parks event)
Happening now
SUN, NOV 1 · 11 AM–3 PM
56°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at H.H. Biddle House (in Conference House Park), Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Ongoing Outdoor Museum Exhibit: Alice's Terracotta Garden

📍 H.H. Biddle House (in Conference House Park) · Conference House Park, Staten Island
Free (NYC Parks event)
Happening now
Every Sun, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 11 AM–6 PM
56°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx · official listing on bronxmuseum.org · checked Oct 31
Arts & culture

Bronx Museum of the Arts (Always Free)

📍 Bronx Museum of the Arts · Bronx
Free
Starts in 23m
SUN, NOV 1 · 12 PM–4 PM
58°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Conference House Museum (in Conference House Park), Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Docent led tours of the Historic Conference House Museum

📍 Conference House Museum (in Conference House Park) · Conference House Park, Staten Island
Free (NYC Parks event)
Starts in 23m
Every Sun, Thu, Fri, Sat · 12 PM–5 PM
58°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · repeats, so you can go another time · at Hispanic Society Museum & Library, Manhattan · official listing on hispanicsociety.org · checked Nov 1
Arts & culture

Hispanic Society Museum & Library (Free Admission)

📍 Hispanic Society Museum & Library · Manhattan
Free; registration required; Free with a reserved ticket
Starts in 23m
Every Sun, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 12 PM–6 PM
58°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, Manhattan · official listing on leslielohman.org · checked Nov 1
Arts & culture

Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art (Suggested Donation)

📍 Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art · Manhattan
Suggested donation; pay what you wish
Starts in 2h 23m
SUN, NOV 1 · 2 PM–3 PM
60°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 28, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Visitor Center at the Boathouse, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn · official listing on brooklynbridgepark.org · checked Oct 28
Music & nightlife

Beethoven Piano Sonatas with Jeffrey Swann

📍 Visitor Center at the Boathouse, Brooklyn Bridge Park · DUMBO, Brooklyn
Free admission; no tickets or reservations.
Starts in 3h 23m
SUN, NOV 1 · 3 PM–4 PM
60°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Oak Ridge (in Forest Park), Queens · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Day of the Dead Celebration featuring Mariachi Real de Mexico

📍 Oak Ridge (in Forest Park) · Forest Park, Queens
Free (NYC Parks event) · registration may be required
Starts in 4h 23m
SUN, NOV 1 · 4 PM–6 PM
61°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Museum of the Moving Image, Kaufman Courtyard, Queens · official listing on movingimage.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Day of the Dead at Museum of the Moving Image

📍 Museum of the Moving Image, Kaufman Courtyard · Astoria, Queens
Free admission
Starts in 4h 23m
Every Sun, Tue · 4 PM–5:30 PM
61°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Manhattan · official listing on guggenheim.org · checked Oct 31
Arts & culture

Guggenheim Pay What You Wish hours

📍 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum · Manhattan
Suggested donation; pay what you wish; Pay what you wish Tuesdays and Sundays 4–5:30 pm
Starts in 5h 23m
SUN, NOV 1 · 5 PM–7 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 25, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Flatiron Wines & Spirits, Manhattan · official listing on nyc.flatiron-wines.com · checked Oct 25
Drinks & tastings

Free tastings at Flatiron Wines

📍 Flatiron Wines & Spirits · Flatiron, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 5h 23m
Daily · 5 PM–6 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 27, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Manhattan · official listing on cooperhewitt.org · checked Oct 27
Arts & culture

Cooper Hewitt Pay What You Wish hour

📍 Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum · Upper East Side, Manhattan
Pay what you wish 5–6 PM daily; 18 & under free anytime
Starts in 6h 23m
SUN, NOV 1 · 6 PM–8 PM
58°F · Partly Cloudy
✓ Verified Oct 25, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Astor Wines & Spirits, Manhattan · official listing on astorwines.com · checked Oct 25
Drinks & tastings

Free wine & spirits tastings at Astor Wines

📍 Astor Wines & Spirits · NoHo, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 6h 23m
SUN, NOV 1 · 6 PM–7:30 PM
58°F · Partly Cloudy
✓ Verified Oct 30, 2026
Why this place: Free · at David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, Manhattan · official listing on lincolncenter.org · checked Oct 30
Arts & culture

Día de Muertos Celebration with Guachinangos

📍 David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center · 1887 Broadway, New York, NY 10023, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 9h 23m
SUN, NOV 1 · 9 PM–1 AM (NEXT DAY)
54°F · Partly Cloudy
✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · at Pete's Candy Store, Brooklyn · official listing on petescandystore.com · checked Nov 1
Music & nightlife

Late live music at Pete's Candy Store: MILLÁR, The Magnificent Electric, Arlo Indigo (21+)

📍 Pete's Candy Store · Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Suggested donation; pay what you wish; Free to attend; 21+; 21+
Starts in 9h 23m
SUN, NOV 1 · 9 PM–11:30 PM
54°F · Partly Cloudy
✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · at LunÀtico, Brooklyn · official listing on barlunatico.com · checked Nov 1
Music & nightlife

Jorge Roeder New Quartet at LunÀtico

📍 LunÀtico · Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
Suggested donation; pay what you wish; no reservations

Questions

How many listings are in this guide?

281 verified listings right now. Updated automatically.

How are these listings checked?

Every listing links to the organizer's own page: the venue, the city agency or park, or the official ticket or RSVP page. We don't copy listings from other event sites.